A goal is a dream with a deadline

Everyone has things they want to achieve in life, and today's quote from Napoleon Hill makes a good point about this.
"A goal is a dream with a deadline."

We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit

Everyone wants to do something with their lives. Maybe you have already gotten to where you want to be, but it's more likely that you're still trying to figure out how to get there. If that is the case, this quote from Aristotle should give you with something to think about.
"We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit."

Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it

Time and time again in the Bible, we are told how much God loves us and wants the best for us. God also wants us to love one another, and today's Bible verse from Isaiah 26:3 is a great example of this.
"Turn from evil and do good; seek peace and pursue it."

Dream big and dare to fail

Everyone in life has hopes and dreams, but too often we are scared to act on our hopes because we are worried we might fail. That's exactly the wrong attitude to take, and it's the point that American explorer and dogsled driver Norman Vaughan was making with today's quote:
"Dream big and dare to fail."

You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand

Life can often be challenging and frustrating, but we should remember that God has promised to help us throughout all that we do and to help lead us to good things. This verse from Psalms 16:11 is a good example of this:

"You have made known to me the path of life; you will fill me with joy in your presence, with eternal pleasures at your right hand."

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

A lot of times in life we may think we are all alone or that we have been forgotten. We need to remember, though, that the Lord is there for us, as today's verse from Isaiah 30:18 says.

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

If You Can't Accept Losing, You Can't Win

Vince Lombardi was a famous football coach who was known for being tough and for leading his teams to victory. While his words were meant to inspire athletes playing on the "Frozen Tundra" of Green Bay, we can find some wisdom in a few of his quotes, too. Today's quote is from Lombardi, and I think that it says a lot.
"If you can't accept losing, you can't win."

For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life

John 3:16 is one of the most famous Bible verses, and it is also one of the most powerful.
"For God so loved the world that he gave his one and only Son, that whoever believes in him shall not perish but have eternal life."
This is an important verse to remember if you have trouble in your life or if you feel alone.

When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but we often look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us

When something comes to a close in your life, you'll want to remember this quote from Helen Keller:
"When one door of happiness closes, another opens, but often we look so long at the closed door that we do not see the one that has been opened for us."
I have spent way too much time in my life looking back or worrying about when things would come to a close and be in my past. I know that many other people do the same, even though we would be much better off if we heeded the wise words of Helen Keller.

The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble

Today's verse from Psalm 9:9 is very clear, and I hope that it gives you some encouragement when life is getting you down.
"The Lord is a refuge for the oppressed, a stronghold in times of trouble.
Often it may seem like we are praying to God who is off somewhere in Heaven, and we are hoping that God will do things to help us in our lives.
We need to remember, though, that God is not far away reading our prayers on the internet or listening in on a cell phone, God is right here with us no matter what is going on in our lives.

Failures do what is tension relieving, while winners do what is goal achieving

Today's quote is from author Dennis Waitley and it can apply to just about any challenge you may face in your life.
"Failures do what is tension relieving, while winners do what is goal achieving."

And let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds

Today's verse is from Hebrews 10:24 and it has a very important message for all of us.
"And let us consider how we may spur one another toward love and good deeds."
The message as I see it today, is that while are always looking for love and good fortune in our lives, we also need to be spreading love and kindness to the people around us.

Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm

Today's quote is from Ralph Waldo Emerson, and it is one that I know I need to remember in my life.
"Nothing great was ever achieved without enthusiasm."
It's simple to say that we want to do great things in our lives, but are we really putting forth enough energy and heart into the projects that we want to make great?

For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

If you are facing challenges in your life or you are having a hard time finding hope in the future, I hope that you will think about today's verse from Jeremiah 29:11.
"For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord, "plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a future."

What can we learn from the Syfy movie, "Sharknado"?

This post is going to be a little different, but I was thinking about Sharknado and realized that I had a few thoughts about it that I wanted to share.

If you haven't seen it yet, Sharknado is a new Syfy Channel movie that is awful and wonderful. The story is not realistic, the acting is a little below the level of a 1970s soap opera, and the special effects are not very special. At the same time, though, the movie is incredibly entertaining as it answers the age old question of what would happen if a giant tornado went over the ocean, picked up a bunch of sharks and then threw the sharks all over a major city.

So what can we learn from this and what can this movie tell us about our relationship with God?

Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!

Today's verse is from Isaiah 30: 18 and it is important remember as you go through life:

"Yet the Lord longs to be gracious to you; he rises to show you compassion. For the Lord is a God of justice. Blessed are all who wait for him!"

The best way out is always through

Robert Frost is best known for the poem, "The Road Less Traveled," which is one of my favorite poems and one of the few that I actually know.

Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good

Romans 12:21 is a powerful verse that is good to remember in your daily life.
"Do not be overcome by evil, but overcome evil with good."
When I think about this, I think a little bit about Star Wars, a little bit about people I encounter in life and a lot about how to actually overcome evil.

A great thought from Dr. Seuss

"Be who you are and say what you feel because those who mind don't matter and those who matter don't mind. "

I love this quote from Dr. Seuss, even though I have struggled with this idea throughout my life.

Commit to the Lord whatever you do and your plans will succeed

This passage from Proverbs 16:3 seems like a simple one, but it tends to challenge me.

"Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and your plans will succeed."

When you read over that, it seems like, sure, all I have to do is to have faith in God and try to do God's work, and all of my plans will work out.

But how would that work exactly, and why don't my plans work out very often?

A short introduction

Thanks for visiting the page. We are going to post inspirational passages from the Bible as well as inspirational quotes and messages on here regularly, along with some comments about them. Sometimes the comments will be funny (we hope) and sometimes they will be a little more serious.